THE 



CARD-PLAYER'S 



ASSISTANT, 

CONTAINING A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF 



THE EAGLE GAME-COUNTER, 



WITH 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



SHOWING ITS USE 



IN SCORING POINTS IN NUMEROUS 
SOCIAL CARD GAMES. 



RICHMOND, IND. J % / \l 



£r V / 2 9 

.in 



Copyright, 1892, 
By Eagle Game-Counter Co., 
Richmond, Ind. 



PRESSES OP 
M. CULLATON & CO., 
RICHMOND, IND. 



The Eagle Game- Counter. 



3 



s6 




Pr IWJESCRIPTION. 

Icy 



^HE EAGLE GAME = COUNTER is made of 
several kinds of close=<5 rained woods — 
hard maple, cherry, holly, oak, etc. — and is 
finished with a li^ht or thin satin finish. 
The" frame of the Counter is five=eighths of 
an inch in thickness, and the blocks are 
seven-sixteenths in width, ten=sixteenths 
in length, and half an inch in height ; and 
the bottom, which is of white wood, is one= 
eighth of an inch in thickness, and the 
whole, complete, measures six inches in 
length, four inches in width, and five= 
eighths of an inch in thickness. 

The materials used in its construction 
are of the finest that can be had, and the 
workmanship is first=class. The Counter is 



* 

i Card- Player's Assistant, 



symmetrical in form, and is practical and 
ornamental ; it is easily operated ; plain to 
be seen ; occupies but little space wnen in 
use ; not liable to £et out of order or broken ; 
and, in fact, every detail of trie Counter 
lias been studied with, a view to perfection. 




A two=tnirds ph.oto=en£ravin£, showing the 
Counter in position for use. 



6 



Card- Player's Assistant, 



QUICK-ACTING, NEAT, DURABLE. 



HE EAGLE GAME=COUNTER is an ingen= 



ious and practical device for instantly 
scoring points in Whist, Seven=up, Single 
and Double Pedro (or Cinch.), Euchre, Crib= 
bage, Progressive Euchre, Hearts, Cassino, 
and other social games played with cards. 
It will score from one to f ifty=seven points, 
and repeat to any desired number. It scores 
backward as well as forward. The blind 
can operate it. It is simple in construction, 
symmetrical in form, and is by far the 
neatest and most practical Game-Counter 
in existence. 




The Eagle Game- Counter. 7 



TO SCORE POINTS. 

The Units Count Collectively ; 

The Large Numbers Separately. 

In scoring points it is necessary to use 
only four of the units in connection with 
the larger numbers, thus : 1 + 1 + 1+1=4; 
next use the figures 5 and the multiples 
thereof, and push back the units to use 
again. 

Add the units in the right=hand columns 
to the LAST LAKGE numbers in the left-hand 
columns, as shown by the illustrations in 
the small book which accompanies the 
Counter. 

The following engravings show the scores 
of a game of double pedro (or cinch), fifty- 
two points, as played by expert players. 



The Eagle Game- Counter. 




SECOND HAND. 

Light scored 8. Dark scored 6. 

3 + 8 = 11. 11+6=17. 



The Eagle Game- Counter. 13 




SIXTH HAND. 

Light scored 13. Dark scored 1. 

29 + 13=42. 30 + 1=31. 



18 Curd-Player 's Assistant, 



POINTERS. 



Tarots was the original name for playing-cards, and 
the first packs consisted of seventy-eight cards, four 
suits of numeral cards and twenty-two emblematical 
pictured cards. The old marks which distinguished 
the tarot suits were swords, cups, sticks, and money. 

* -3* 

The enjoyment of playing cards is often marred by 
the annoyance of keeping the score. It is a pleasure to 
score points with the Eagle Game-Counter 

History tells us that in 1392 three packs of tarots 
(cards) were painted for the King of France by Jacque- 
min Gringonneur, for which he received one hundred 
and seventy-five francs — thirty-four dollars. Even this 
was not the largest sum paid for cards in those days. 

A large or small number of points may be scored 
with the Eagle Game-Counter ; can add to or deduct 
from the score with equal rapidity. It will score both 
ways. 

The Eagle Game-Counter is six inches in length, 
four inches in width, and five-eighths of an inch in 
thickness. Sent, postage paid, on receipt of price, to 
any part of the United States. 



The Eagle Game Counter. 19 



The Eagle Game-Counter is put up in neat boxes 
(each Counter in a separate box, 4 x 6 x ~/% of an inch) 
for the convenience of tourists, travelers, picnic, hunt- 
ing and fishing parties, and requires so little space in the 
satchel or pocket as to be hardly noticed. 

■3fr 

On land or sea, in the cottage, the mansion, or the 
club room, on the sailing vessel or the ocean steamer, 
the Eagle Game- Counter is the favorite, because it is 
neat, simple in construction, symmetrical in form, easily 
read, accurate and quick-acting, and occupies but little 
space on the table, and when once used becomes a 
necessity. 

Nearly all writers about cards admit the strong 
resemblance they bear to chess, the art of painting being 
resorted to to depict the one, and sculpture to represent 
the other. The origin of chess is undisputed, but the 
date or by whom cards were introduced into Europe is 
unknown. 

The Eagle Game-Counter scores instantly any num- 
ber of points from one to fifty-seven, and repeats to any 
desired number. It is neat in appearance, practical in 
construction, plain to be seen, occupies but little space, 
easily operated, and will not mar the finest furniture or 
soil the fingers. 

* -3fr 

With the Eagle Game-Counter upon the table, it 
would be unnecessary to ask, "How does the game 
stand ? " A glance at the Counter would be a sufficient 
explanation. 



* — 

20 Card- Player's Assistant, 



One frequently hears such expressions as "You 
keep the score ;" " No, I haven't any pencil ;" or, " No, 
my eyes are dim ; " or, " O, I do not want to be bothered 
with it." With the Eagle Game-Counter it is different. 
Everybody delights to use it. 

The first mention of card-counters in the history of 
American playing-cards occurs about the year 1763. 
The counters were imported in foreign boxes, and were 
made of small bits of mother-of-pearl, and were of 
different sizes. One set of these foreign counters made 
in China contained one hundred and sixty-odd pieces. 

The Eagle Game Counter is made of several kinds 
of close-grained woods — cherry, apple, holly, maple, 
etc., and is neatly finished. The figures are plain and 
easily distinguishable in a dim light, or by people with 
poor eye-sight. 

Social games of cards are often played where the 
light is dim, and to "keep the game" under such cir- 
cumstances is annoying. Good light is not necessary 
with the Eagle Game-Counter. 



The first playing-cards were made of two pieces of 
card-board, and afterward pasted together so as to over- 
lap the face and a frame to the picture surface. 

* ' # 

The Eagle Game-Counter being always in full view 
of the players, any error which may occur can be readily 
detected and corrected. 



The Eagle Game- Counter. 



21 



The Eagle Game-Counter is an original invention. 
It was not copied from or suggested by anything created 
or invented. For the purpose for which it is intended, 
there is nothing to compare with it. 

* 

The most dainty and original playing-cards are said 
to be found in Japan. The Japanese cards are the same 
shape as those used in European countries, but small, 
being only two inches long by one broad, and a pack 
consists of forty-nine. 

* 

The Eagle Game-Counter is not a gambling device, 
and cannot, with any stretch of the imagination, be so 
classed. It is the card-players' "book-keeper," and 
lends assistance to the pleasures of card playing 



It is claimed that the first pictures produced by 
printing with blocks of wood were probably used as 
playing-cards, and the invention is very much older 
than that of printing with movable types. 



It is a mistaken idea that only young people enjoy 
playing cards. Many aged people delight in the sport, 
and use the Eagle Game-Counter because it is simple, 
quick acting, and easily manipulated. 

With the Eagle Game-Counter there is no neces- 
sity for asking how the " game stands." A glance at the 
units and last large numbers will explain the situation. 



22 Card- Play er' s Assistant, 



The Eagle Game-Counter is small, neat, durable, 
attractive, inexpensive, quick-acting, simple in construc- 
tion, and will last a life-time with fair usage. 

•35- 

The origin of playing-cards is still a subject of spec- 
ulation. Nearly every country in Europe claims to have 
been the first to' use them. They were brought from 
the East to Europe about the time of the Crusades, 
probably by the home-returning warriors, and were 
known nearly simultaneously in Italy, Spain, France, 
Germany, and England. 

All kinds of card games may be scored by the 
Eagle Game-Counter instantly, without the trouble of 
removing the Counter from the table or the place where 
located. 

*** 

It is a matter of history that Columbus carried cards 
with him in his ship on the voyage of discovery in 1492. 
The Columbus cards were made of leather 

The Eagie Game-Counter is always in full view 
of the players, and any error of scoring can be readily 
detected and corrected. 

Some writers claim that India was the birth-place of 
cards, because it is positively known that chess was first 
used in that country. 

With the Eagle Game-Counter you can score any 
number of points with but two movements of the fingers. 



The Eagle Game- Counter. 23 



The Eagle Game-Counter does away with the 
"private book-keeper," and adds much to the pleasure 
of playing any game of cards. 

An old Chinese history records the fact that cards 
were known in China as teen-tsepae, and were invented 
in 1120. The name by which they are called in China 
is che-pae, or " paper tickets," although they were first 
called ya-pae, or "bone tickets," being made from bone. 

The Eagle Game-Counter is especially adapted to 
the game of Pedro, or Cinch, as it scores backward as 
well as forward. 

Counters of gold are still in existence, which were 
used by Napoleon during his captivity — also some of 
the cards that the celebrated general used to while away 
the tedious hours. 

■X- * 

Aged people with dim eye-sight can enjoy playing 
cards with the Eagle Game-Counter, because it is no 
trouble to keep the score. 

* • 

The Eagle Game-Counter will score to fifty-seven 
points and repeat ; and will score backward as well as 
forward. The blind can operate it. 

Payment for the Eagle Game-Counter, when sent 
by mail, should be made in a post-office money order, 
bank check or draft, an Express money order, or in a 
registered letter. 



24 



Card- Player ] s Assistant. 



"No* 1 Counter is made of a variety of fine, hard 
end-grain woods, with raised cut figures, neat 
border, colored background, with a light satin 
finish. 



JTo« 2 Counter is made of a variety of fine, hard 
end-grain woods, with raised cut figures, bor- 
dered, plain background, and has a light satin 
finish 



Up, 3 Counter is made of a variety of fine, hard 
end-grain woods, with raised cut figures, with- 
out border, colored background, and has a 
light satin finish. 



JJq # 4 Counter is made of a variety of fine, hard 
end-grain woods, with raised cut figures, with- 
out border, plain background, and has a light 
satin finish. 

Sent postage paid to any address in the United 

States on receipt of price, 75 cents. 

EAGLE GAME-COUNTEK 00., 

RICHMOND, INDIANA, U.S.A. 



PATENTED MAY 17th. 1892. 



